First inscriptions
WHS that were the first to be inscribed from their country. In the case of multiple inscriptions from the country in that same year, the order is (1) first mentioned in the official session records, (2) lowest official ID number.
Connected Sites
| Site | Rationale | Link |
| Aachen Cathedral | Germany 1978 | |
| Aapravasi Ghat | Mauritius 2006 | |
| Abbey of St Gall | Switzerland: three inscriptions in 1983 - Old City of Berne has the lowest number, but St. Gall is first mentioned in the report | |
| Air and Téneré | Niger 1991 | |
| Ajanta Caves | India: four inscriptions in 1983, with Ajanta Caves as the first recorded and with the lowest number | |
| Al Ain | UAE 2011 | |
| Al Qal'a of Beni Hammad | Algeria 1980 | |
| Al Zubarah | Qatar (2013) | |
| Aldabra Atoll | Seychelles 1982 | |
| Ancient Merv | Turkmenistan 1999 | |
| Andrefana Dry Forests | Madagascar 1990 | |
| Angkor | Cambodia 1992 | |
| Angra do Heroismo | Portugal: four inscriptions in 1983, with Central Zone of the Town of Angra do Heroismo in the Azores as the first recorded and with the lowest number | |
| Anjar | Lebanon: four inscriptions in 1984, with Anjar as the lowest number | |
| Antigua Naval Dockyard | Antigua & Barbuda 2016 | |
| Anuradhapura | Sri Lanka: three inscriptions in 1982, with Sacred City of Anuradhapura as the lowest number | |
| Asmara | Eritrea (2017) | |
| Ayutthaya | Thailand: three inscriptions in 1991 - Historic Town of Sukhothai and Associated Historic Towns has the lowest number, but Historic City of Ayutthaya is first mentioned in the report | |
| Bagerhat | Bangladesh: two inscriptions in 1985, with Historic Mosque City of Bagerhat as the lowest number | |
| Bahla Fort | Oman 1987 | |
| Banc d'Arguin | Mauritania 1989 | |
| Baroque Churches | Philippines: two inscriptions in 1993, with Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park as the lowest number, but the Baroque Churches first in the report. | |
| Belize Barrier Reef | Belize 1996 | |
| Bethlehem | Palestine 2012 | |
| Białowieża Forest | Belarus 1992 | |
| Bikini Atoll | Marshall Islands 2010 | |
| Blue and John Crow Mountains | Jamaica 2015 | |
| Borobudur | Indonesia: four inscriptions in 1991, with Borobudur Temple Compounds as the lowest number | |
| Boyana Church | Bulgaria: four inscriptions in 1979, with Boyana Church as the lowest number | |
| Bridgetown | Barbados 2011 | |
| Brimstone Hill Fortress | St. Kitts and Nevis 1999 | |
| Brú na Bóinne | Ireland 1993 | |
| Budapest | Hungary: two inscriptions in 1987, with Budapest as the lowest number | |
| Butrint | Albania 1992 | |
| Bwindi Impenetrable National Park | Uganda: two inscriptions in 1994, with Bwindi Impenetrable National Park as the lowest number | |
| Cartagena | Colombia 1984 | |
| Central Suriname Nature Reserve | Suriname 2000 | |
| Chief Roi Mata's Domain | Vanuatu 2008 | |
| Cidade Velha | Cabo Verde 2009 | |
| City of Luxembourg | Luxemburg 1994 | |
| Colonia del Sacramento | Uruguay 1995 | |
| Copán | Honduras 1980 | |
| Cordoba | Spain: five inscriptions in 1984, with Historic Centre of Cordoba (then The Mosque of Cordoba) as the first recorded and with the lowest number | |
| Coro and its Port | Venezuela 1993 | |
| Cuzco | Peru: two inscriptions in 1983, with City of Cuzco as the first recorded and with the lowest number | |
| Damascus | Syria 1979 | |
| Danube Delta | Romania 1991 | |
| Dja Faunal Reserve | Cameroon 1987 | |
| Djenné | Mali: two inscriptions in 1988, with Old Towns of Djenné as the lowest number | |
| Drottningholm | Sweden 1991 | |
| Dubrovnik | Croatia: three inscriptions in 1979 (then Yugoslavia), with Old City of Dubrovnik as the lowest number | |
| Durmitor National Park | 1980 Montenegro (then Yugoslavia) | |
| East Rennell | Solomon Islands 1998 | |
| Flemish Béguinages | Belgium, 1998. Actually 3 Belgian sites were inscribed that year, but the Beguinages have the lowest id and is named first in the report of that session. | |
| Forts and Castles Gold Coast | Ghana 1979 | |
| Galapagos Islands | Ecuador - 1978 (Quito was also inscribed at the same session, however Galapagos got reference number 1 | |
| Gebel Barkal | Sudan 2003 | |
| Giant's Causeway | United Kingdom: seven inscriptions in 1986, with Giant's Causeway and Causeway Coast as the first recorded and with the lowest number | |
| Haghpat and Sanahin | Armenia 1996 | |
| Hal Saflieni Hypogeum | Malta: three inscriptions in 1980, with Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum as the first recorded and with the lowest number | |
| Hatra | Iraq 1985 | |
| Hegra | Saudi Arabia 2008 | |
| Himeji-jo | Japan: four inscriptions in 1993 - Buddhist Monuments in the Horyu-ji Area has the lowest number, but Himeji-jo is first mentioned in the report | |
| Hué | Vietnam 1993 | |
| Island of Gorée | Senegal 1978 | |
| Island of Mozambique | Mozambique 1991 | |
| Istanbul | Turkey: three inscriptions in 1985, with Historic Areas of Istanbul as the lowest number | |
| Itchan Kala | Uzbekistan 1990 (then USSR) | |
| Jelling | Denmark 1994 | |
| Jesuit Missions of Trinidad and Jesus | Paraguay 1993 | |
| Joya de Ceren | El Salvador 1993 | |
| Kakadu National Park | Australia: three inscriptions in 1981, with Kakadu National Park as the lowest number | |
| Kinabalu Park | Malaysia: two inscriptions in 2000, with Kinabalu Park as the lowest number | |
| Koguryo Tombs | North Korea 2004 | |
| Kotor | Montenegro 1979 (then Yugoslavia) | |
| Koutammakou | Togo 2004 | |
| Kraków | Poland: two inscriptions in 1978, with Historic Centre of Kraków as the first recorded and with the lowest number | |
| Kuk | Papua New Guinea (2008) | |
| Kunta Kinteh Island | Gambia 2003 | |
| Kyiv Cathedral and Lavra | Ukraine 1990 | |
| L'Anse aux Meadows | Canada: two inscriptions in 1978, with L'Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site as the first recorded and with the lowest number | |
| Lake Malawi | Malawi 1984 | |
| Lakes of Ounianga | Chad 2012 | |
| Leptis Magna | Libya: three inscriptions in 1982, with Archaeological Site of Leptis Magna as the lowest number | |
| Levuka | Fiji (2013) | |
| Lopé-Okanda | Gabon 2007 | |
| Los Glaciares | Argentina 1981 | |
| Luang Prabang | Laos 1995 | |
| Madriu-Perafita-Claror Valley | Andorra 2004 | |
| Maloti-Drakensberg Park | Lesotho 2013 | |
| Mana Pools | Zimbabwe 1984 | |
| Manovo-Gounda St. Floris | CAR 1988 | |
| Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi | Kazakhstan 2003 | |
| Mbanza Kongo | Angola (2017) | |
| Medina of Fez | Morocco 1981 | |
| Medina of Tunis | Tunisia: three inscriptions in 1979, with Medina of Tunis as the lowest number | |
| Mesa Verde | USA: two inscriptions in 1978, with Mesa Verde National Park as the first recorded and with the lowest number | |
| Minaret of Jam | Afghanistan 2002 | |
| Moenjodaro | Pakistan: three inscriptions in 1980, with Archaeological Ruins at Moenjodaro as the first recorded and with the lowest number | |
| Mont-Saint-Michel | France: five inscriptions in 1979, with Mont-Saint-Michel and its Bay as the first recorded and with the lowest number | |
| Morne Trois Pitons | Dominica 1997 | |
| Mostar | Bosnia 2005 | |
| Mount Kenya | Kenya: two inscriptions in 1997, with Mount Kenya National Park/Natural Forest as the lowest number | |
| Mount Nimba | Cote d'Ivoire and Guinea 1984 | |
| Mount Taishan | China: six inscriptions in 1987, with Mount Taishan as the first recorded and with the lowest number | |
| Mtskheta | Georgia: two inscriptions in 1994, with Historical Monuments of Mtskheta as the lowest number | |
| Nan Madol | Federated States of Micronesia (2016) | |
| National History Park | Haiti 1982 | |
| Ngorongoro | Tanzania 1979 (as a natural site) | |
| Nyungwe National Park | Rwanda 2023 | |
| Ohrid Region | 1979 North Macedonia (then Yugoslavia) | |
| Old City of Acre | Israel 2001 (occupying the Old City of Jerusalem inscribed 1981) | |
| Old Havana | Cuba 1982 | |
| Old Rauma | Finland: two inscriptions in 1991, with Old Rauma as the lowest number | |
| Ouro Preto | Brazil 1980 | |
| Panamá | Panama 1980 | |
| Paphos | Cyprus 1980 | |
| Petra | Jordan: two inscriptions in 1985, with Petra as the lowest number | |
| Phoenix Islands | Kiribati 2010 | |
| Pitons Management Area | St. Lucia 2004 | |
| Potosi | Bolivia 1987 | |
| Prague | Czechia: three inscriptions in 1992 (then Czech and Slovak Federal Republic), with Historic Centre of Prague as the lowest number | |
| Pyramids (Memphis) | Egypt: five inscriptions in 1979, with Memphis and its Necropolis – the Pyramid Fields from Giza to Dahshur as the lowest number | |
| Pyu Ancient Cities | Myanmar (2014) | |
| Qal'at al-Bahrain | Bahrain 2005 | |
| Rapa Nui | Chile 1995 | |
| Riga | Latvia 1997 | |
| Rock Drawings in Valcamonica | Italy 1979 | |
| Rock Islands | Palau 2012 | |
| Rome | Holy See 1980 (together with Italy) | |
| Royal Palaces of Abomey | Benin 1985 | |
| Ruins of León Viejo | Nicaragua 2000 | |
| Ruins of Loropéni | Burkina Faso 2009 | |
| Sagarmatha National Park | Nepal: two inscriptions in 1979, with Sagarmatha National Park as the lowest number | |
| Salzburg | Austria: two inscriptions in 1996, with Historic Centre of the City of Salzburg as the lowest number | |
| San Marino and Mount Titano | San Marino 2008 | |
| Sangha Trinational | Congo (2012) | |
| Santo Domingo | Dom. Rep. 1990 | |
| Sarazm | Tajikistan 2010 | |
| Schokland | Netherlands 1995 | |
| Seokguram Grotto and Bulguksa Temple | South Korea 1995 (Soon afterwards Haeinsa Temple and Jongmyo Shrine were inscribed) | |
| Shibam | Yemen 1982 | |
| Sian Ka'an | Mexico (1987). | |
| Simien National Park | Ethiopia: two inscriptions in 1978, with Simien National Park as the first recorded and with the lowest number | |
| Singapore Botanic Gardens | Singapore (2015) | |
| Skocjan Caves | Slovenia 1988 (then Yugoslavia) | |
| St. Petersburg | Russia: four inscriptions in 1990 (as USSR), with Historic Centre of Saint Petersburg and Related Groups of Monuments as the first recorded and with the lowest number | |
| Stari Ras and Sopocani | Serbia (then Yugoslavia) | |
| Struve Geodetic Arc | Moldova 2005 (with many other countries) | |
| Sukur | Nigeria 1999 | |
| Sulaiman-Too | Kyrgyzstan 2009 | |
| Talamanca Range-La Amistad Reserves | Costa Rica 1983 | |
| Tallinn | Estonia 1997 | |
| Tchogha Zanbil | Iran: three inscriptions in 1979, with Tchogha Zanbil as the first and the records and with the lowest number | |
| Te Wahipounamu | New Zealand: Te Wahipounamu – South West New Zealand, encompassing the in 1986 inscribed parks Fjordland and Mount Cook | |
| Temple of Apollo Epicurius at Bassae | Greece 1986 | |
| Thingvellir | Iceland 2004 | |
| Tikal National Park | Guatemala: two inscriptions in 1979, with Tikal National Park as the lowest number and the first in the records. | |
| Tsodilo | Botswana 2001 | |
| Twyfelfontein | Namibia (2007) | |
| Urnes Stave Church | Norway: two inscriptions in 1979, with Urnes Stave Church as the first reported and the lowest number. | |
| Uvs Nuur Basin | Mongolia 2003 (with Russia) | |
| Victoria Falls | Zambia 1989 (with Zimbabwe) | |
| Vilnius | Lithuania 1994 | |
| Virunga National Park | DR Congo 1979 | |
| Vlkolinec | Slovakia: three inscriptions in 1993 - Historic Town of Banská Štiavnica and the Technical Monuments in its Vicinity has the lowest number, but Vlkolínec is first mentioned in the report | |
| Walled City of Baku | Azerbaijan 2000 | |
| iSimangaliso Wetland Park | South Africa: three inscriptions in 1999, with iSimangaliso Wetland Park as the first recorded and with the lowest number |
Suggestions?
Do you know of another WHS we could connect to First inscriptions?
A connection should:
- Not be "self evident"
- Link at least 3 different sites
- Not duplicate or merely subdivide the "Category" assignment already identified on this site.
- Add some knowledge or insight (whether significant or trivial!) about WHS for the users of this site
- Be explained, with reference to a source